Container for blank optical disks

ABSTRACT

A blank optical disk container for holding a plurality of blank optical disks allows the blank optical disks be retrieved individually and easily from the container. The container has a case lid movably mounted upon it. The case lid has claws located on the bottom side thereof to clip and grip the center opening of a blank optical disk. The case lid may be closed and depressed downwards to grip one blank optical disk with its claws, then the case lid may be opened to allow the blank optical disk to be removed from the case lid.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a container for blank optical disks, and particularly to a container that can hold a plurality of optical disks and has a case lid for retrieving individual blank optical disks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Optical disks are commonly used data recording media for storing relative large amounts of data. For instances, music, movies, and application programs are generally stored on optical disks. Optical disks that have no data recorded thereon are generally called blank optical disks. FIG. 1 shows a conventional container for holding blank optical disks. It mainly consists of a base seat and a case. The base seat is a circular disk with a round post mounted in the center. Blank optical disks are individually coupled on the round post through an opening formed in their centers. The case is substantially a hollow cylindrical barrel, which may encase the base seat.

[0003] When users want to retrieve the blank optical disks for loading data, they have to remove the case, then take the required blank optical disks. However when multiple blank optical disks are stacked one upon another around the round post, it is difficult to remove one blank optical disk. Moreover, the round post has a certain length. When only a few blank optical disks are stacked around the round post, users have to remove the blank optical disks from the bottom section of the round post. This movement is not easy. Hence the design of conventional containers for holding blank optical disks generally is not user-friendly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The primary object of the invention is to provide a container for holding blank optical disks that enables users to easily retrieve individual blank optical disks.

[0005] The container for holding blank optical disks disclosed in the invention consists of a case and a case lid. The case has an opening directing upwards and a housing space for holding blank optical disks. The case lid is movably located on the case and has claws located on its bottom side to clip and grip the center aperture of the blank optical disk. The case lid may be depressed downwards to connect with the blank optical disk, and claws on the bottom side of the case lid grip one blank optical disk. Then the case lid may be opened to allow users to remove the blank optical disk from the case lid.

[0006] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are only to serve for reference and illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional container for holding blank optical disks.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the invention showing the assembled structure.

[0009]FIG. 3A is an exploded view of the invention.

[0010]FIG. 3B is a fragmentary perspective view of an enlarged structure of the invention.

[0011]FIG. 4A is a schematic view of the case lid of the invention.

[0012]FIG. 4B is a schematic sectional view of the case lid of the invention.

[0013]FIG. 5A is a schematic view of the invention, showing a moving condition.

[0014]FIG. 5B is a schematic view of the invention, showing another moving condition.

[0015]FIG. 5C is a schematic view of the invention, showing yet another moving condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, the container for holding blank optical disks according to the invention consists of a case 10 and a case lid 20. The case 10 is substantially a hollow cylindrical barrel, which has an opening directing upwards. The case 10 has a bottom surface 11 and a wall 12 slightly larger than the outside diameter of a blank optical disk 30. The bottom surface 30 has a pen holder and a name clip 13 located thereon. The wall 12 forms a housing space 101 in the interior for holding blank optical disks 30. On the perimeter of the wall 12 there are a plurality of equally spaced troughs 102, 103, 104, and 105 extended in the axial direction. The contact surfaces between the troughs 102, 103, 104 and 105 and the wall 12 have respectively a slot 1021, 2031, 1041 and 1051. The bottom surface 11 has a pair of latch slots 111 and 112 corresponding to each trough 102 (also applicable to troughs 103, 104 and 105).

[0017] Inside the troughs 102, 103, 104 and 105, there are respectively and sequentially disposed base seats 41, 42, 43 and 44, elastic elements 51, 52, 53 and 54, and retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64. The base seats 41, 42, 43 and 44 have respectively extended posts 411, 421, 431 and 441 mounting thereon in the center, and a pair of first coupling hooks 412 (same for the base seats 42 and 43) for engaging with the latch slots 111 and 112. The elastic elements 51, 52, 53 and 54 are coupled respectively on the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441. The posts 411, 421 and 431 are formed as a cross type. The posts 411, 421, 431 and 441 each have a top end forming a pair of second coupling hooks 4111 and 4112 (same for the posts 421, 431 and 441). The retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64 each have a cross-shaped slot 611 (same for the retainers 62, 63 and 64). The retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64 are respectively coupled with the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441 and are movable up or down on the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441. The second coupling hooks 4111 and 4112 on the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441 can prevent the retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64 from separating from the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441. In normal conditions, the retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64 are pushed by the elastic elements 51, 52, 53 and 54 to the top end of the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441.

[0018] The retainer 62 has two pivotal lugs 621 and 622, which each have a pivotal aperture 6211 and 6221 formed thereon.

[0019] The case lid 20 is a circular disk matching the shape of the case 10 but is slightly smaller than the housing space 101 of the case 10 and is movable in the housing space 101. The case lid 20 has compression rings 202, 204 and 205 formed on the perimeter thereof corresponding to the locations of the troughs 102, 104 and 105, and a pair of pivotal flanges 203 corresponding to the trough 103. The pivotal flanges 203 have pivotal stub shafts 2031 located thereon to pivotally couple with the pivotal apertures 6211 and 6221 of the retainer 62. Thus the case lid 20 can be turned about the stub shafts 2031 so that the case lid 20 may be lifted upwards or folded down to close the housing space 101 of the case 10. In addition, the compression rings 202, 204 and 205 have an inside diameter greater than the posts 411, 421, 431 and 441 so that the compression rings 202, 204 and 205 can compress the retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64 and the elastic elements 51, 52, 53 and 54 downwards.

[0020] Moreover, the case lid 20 has a bottom surface with a multi-claw chuck 206 located in the center thereof (as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B). The multi-claw chuck 206 has a plurality of spaced claws 2061 that can extend to engage with the center opening 301 of the blank optical disk 30. The claws 2061 may be slightly compressed and retracted, or released and return to their normal condition. Each claw 2061 has a height slightly greater than the thickness of a blank optical disk 30, and a slant surface on its front end such that the multi-claw chuck 206 can, through the claws 2061, clip and grip one blank optical disk 30 at a time.

[0021] Refer to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, a plurality of blank optical disks 30 are housed in the housing space 101 of the case 10. The case lid 20 is in its normal condition located above the case 10 by means of the compression rings 201, 202 and 203 and pivotal stub shafts 204 which are straddled on the retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64. It closes the opening of the housing space 101 of the case 20. When retrieving a blank optical disk 30, the case lid 20 is depressed downwards. The compression rings 201, 202 and 203 are moved downwards to compress the retainers 61, 62, 63 and 64 and the elastic elements 51, 52, 53 and 64 downwards until the multi-claw chuck 206 under the case lid 20 extends into the center opening 301 of the blank optical disk 30 and grips the blank optical disk 30. When the pressure on the case lid 20 is released, the case lid 20 is pushed upwards to return to its original position through the restoring force of the elastic elements 51, 52, 53 and 54. Then a user may open the case lid 20 to remove the blank optical disk 30 from the case lid 20. Even when the case 10 contains only a few blank optical disks 30, a user can still depress the case lid 20 all the way down into the case 10 to grip and retrieve the blank optical disks 30 without difficulty.

[0022] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A blank optical disk container for holding blank optical disks, comprising: a case having a housing space with an opening directing upwards for holding the blank optical disks and a plurality of troughs located on the perimeter thereof in an axial direction, the troughs having respectively a retainer supporting by an elastic element and locating at the top end of the trough in normal conditions; and a case lid movably located in the case and being moved and supported by the retainers in the normal conditions to close the opening of the housing space, the case lid being moved into the housing space by pushing the elastic elements when subject to a force, and having a multi-claw chuck located on a bottom surface thereof for gripping a center opening of the black optical disk.
 2. The blank optical disk container of claim 1 further having through slots formed between the troughs and the housing space of the case.
 3. The blank optical disk container of claim 1, wherein each trough has a base seat which has a post extending therefrom for coupling with the elastic element.
 4. The blank optical disk container of claim 1, wherein the base seat has a pair of first coupling hooks for engaging with the case.
 5. The blank optical disk container of claim 1, wherein one of the retainers has a pair of pivotal lugs which have respectively a pivotal aperture formed thereon.
 6. The blank optical disk container of claim 1, wherein the case lid has compression rings corresponding to the troughs.
 7. The blank optical disk container of claim 1, wherein the case lid further has a pivotal stub shaft for pivotally engaging with the pivotal lugs. 